No phones at school

At our Board of Trustees meeting last week, we discussed a draft “No students phone at school” policy. This is in response to the Government's introduction of their “phones away for the day” regulations.

Below is a summary of the information provided by The Ministry of Education.

What must be in your school rules

The regulations require that schools must ensure students do not use or access a phone while they are attending school, including during lunch time and breaks. This includes students who are on a school course or visit outside the school grounds.

This must be in effect no later than the start of Term 2, 29 April 2024.

Schools must allow students to use or access a phone when:

• a phone is needed for health reasons (for example, to monitor insulin levels); or

• a phone is needed to help a student with a disability or learning support need (for example, to assist with impaired communication); or

• a teacher requires students to use phones for a specific educational task or purpose (for example, for a class assignment); or

• the principal decides that they are needed for special circumstances (for example, the student is a teenage parent).

Below is the draft policy and the procedures that have been developed and we invite feedback on the document.

Te Aroha College

Cell Phone Policy

RATIONALE:

The Ministry of Education requires all schools to set in place rules and regulations to ensure students do not use or access a phone while they are attending school, including during lunch time and breaks. These rules and regulations need to be in place by the start of Term 2, 2024.

DEFINITIONS:

The school day is defined from as soon as a student enters school grounds until the end of of the school day at 3:05pm

DELEGATIONS:

The implementation of this policy is delegated to the Principal, Senior Leadership Team, Dean’s and teaching staff.

EXPECTATIONS:

• Students not to bring their cellphones to school

• If students bring their cellphones to school, they must be switched off and kept in their school bag. It is important to note that if students do make the decision to bring a cellphone to the school grounds, they do so at their own risk. The school is not responsible for any loss or damage caused to any cellphone.

• If teachers see students using their cellphones during class time or during break time, they ask for the student to surrender their phone. The phone will be handed into the Dean’s office until the end of the current school day.

LEGISLATION:

Education and Training Act (2020)

PROCEDURES:

If phones are seen in class or outside of the classroom they will be confiscated and taken to the Dean’s office secured in the school safe.

• 1st time: Can be retrieved from the Dean’s office at the end of the day.

• 2nd time: Can be retrieved from the Dean’s office at the end of the day. Home contact. Daily drop-off of phone to Deans for the following week.

• 3rd time: Can be retrieved from the Dean’s office at the end of the day. Daily drop-off of phone to SLT for the following week. Student and parent meeting with principal.

If students refuse to hand in their phones, then the matter will be referred to our Deputy Principal’s. Failure to comply further may result in more serious consequences put in place which may include being stood down from school for continual disobedience under the Education and Training Act (2020).

Implemented: April 2024

Due for Review: April 2025

Frequently Asked Questions:

● Can I listen to music?

You can use your learning device (Laptop/Chromebook) to listen to music or for learning purposes when a teacher approves. Otherwise, headphones or earbuds should be kept from class. In a workshop, it is unsafe for students to have headphones on and students should wear appropriate safety equipment.

● What about my smartwatch?

Smartwatches may be worn but not connected to their phones or have cellular or wifi access

● What if my parents/caregivers need to contact me in an emergency?

All communications should go through the front office in an emergency.

● What if my work needs to contact me?

All communications should go through the front office, as per parental contact.

Please email me with your feedback at nharray@tacol.nz

We would like to make further progress to ensure we comply with the required change in regulations. Please send any feedback by Friday 1 March.